Category Archives: tribute

Since we started the week with an untimely death in the music world, I figured I’d finish it off with another celebrity passing to get us good n’ soft for the coming of the Raptors (that’s what all the hubbub is about, right?) Randall Mario Poffo, better known as former WWF/WWE superstar wrestler “Macho Man” Randy Savage, was killed in Florida this morning at the age of 58 after suffering a heart attack resulting in a fatal car accident.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Savage was driving his Jeep Wrangler when he veered across a concrete median, through oncoming traffic, and “collided head-on with a tree.” He was transported to Largo Medical Center, where he died. Savage’s wife of one year, Lynn, was a passenger but sustained only minor injuries, according to TMZ.

Savage’s brother, Lanny Poffo told TMZ that the wrestler suffered a heart attack while he was driving and then lost control of the vehicle. [via MSNBC]

You may be wondering what the hell this has to do with music news. And if you are, I may be wondering why you’re such a deprived idiot. Because in 2003, Macho Man burst onto the music scene with the seminal rap album Be a Man. The title track is embedded below, in which he lambasts Hulk Hogan for being such a Hollywood p*ssy.

Man, I never liked wrestling, but I love my friends’ impersonations of Macho Man, and I dig his unbridled hatred for Hulk Hogan. Oh, and Slim Jims. I love Slim Jims. As a matter of fact, if you need me, I’ll be in the snack aisle at Shop Rite. Or is it candy? Or beef? Where the f*ck would I find it? Eh, I’ll just stick to the check-out counter at Wawa.

If you’re one of the many people still looking for someone to teach you how to Dougie, lessons from the masters just got scaled back a bit. Rapper M-Bone of Cali Swag District – the group responsible for last year’s hit hip-hop dance song “Teach Me How To Dougie” – was tragically gunned down Sunday night in a drive-by shooting.

Bone, born Mante Talbert, was one-fourth of the group that rose to fame with their 2010 single “Teach Me How to Dougie.” Cali Swag frontman C-Smoove tweeted, “Ma life changed drastically in the blink of an eye. rip mbone,” early Monday morning.

Inglewood Police Department Homicide Sgt. Brian Spencer confirmed to MTV News that the 22-year-old Bone died of two gunshot wounds to the head in his hometown of Inglewood, California.

Witness accounts confirm that the rapper was seated in his car when the gunmen pulled alongside him in a separate vehicle and let off at least two rounds. The suspects fled northbound on La Brea. [via MTV News]

That is terrible and sad. And really kinda makes me question what’s being considered “gangsta rap” nowadays. Should I be concerned about the well-being of the dudes responsible for my other favorite hip-hop dance song of 2010 “Movin Like Berney”? Because that would honestly devastate me. Not to mention putting my self control and tact to the ultimate test to avoid making an easy Weekend at Bernie’s joke.

Two days ago saw the anniversary of the deaths of two Seattle grunge rock icons, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana (suicide, 1994) and Layne Staley of Alice In Chains (heroin and cocaine overdose, 2002). And while most people quietly celebrated their lives and contributions to music by popping in their favorite Nirvana or AIC CDs, 30 Second To Mars musician/actor Jared Leto decided to pay tribute to Cobain by releasing an audition tape he crafted a while back in which he performs acoustically in character as Cobain. He had this to say about it on his blog…

“I heard today was the day Kurt passed away 17 years ago. Can’t believe it’s been that long. So grateful for his contribution and inspiration. Not sure I’d be doing this if it weren’t for him. He gave us all permission to create no matter what our skill set and reminded me that dreams are possible. Thanks for that. This made me recall a short piece of film I shot when I heard they were making a film celebrating his life. I made it to explore the character and explore creative possibilities. I never sent it to the studio or to anyone but thought I’d share it now…” [via JaredLeto.com]

The clip is below, and I can’t help but believe that, as far as Leto’s motives go, a genuine appreciation for Cobain and his music is slightly outweighed by a shameless use of the anniversary of Cobain’s death as an opportunity to garner buzz and support for him to win the role of Cobain in the biopic that Courtney Love has been planning for years (although, this may have also been Leto’s audition tape for Gus Van Zant’s 2005 fictionalized Cobain film Last Days). And while I’m tempted to encourage Jared Leto to act out the final, shotgun-tastic moments of Cobain’s life as an encore to this tacky “tribute,” he kinda won me over with his portrayal. And this may actually prove him to be just tasteless enough to play Cobain, because really, what’s more tasteless than leaving behind a baby, wife, and successful career by offing yourself? Speaking of wife, I’m sure Leto can be expecting a call from her army of drooling attorneys any minute now.

As you’ve probably heard by now, West Coast hip-hop crooner Nate Dogg died last night as a result of stroke complications. He had battled strokes often in recent years. At only 41, he was best known for his contributions to Warren G’s “Regulate,” Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode,” and Snoop Dogg’s “Gz Up, Hoes Down.”

After the cut, I’ve included my favorite Nate Dogg track, one that I think too often goes overlooked. It’s his and Snoop’s sweet (read: NSFW) version of the holiday classic “Twas The Night Before Christmas.” Frankly, I think more Christmas tunes need to keep it as real as this one does. Hey Bing Crosby, most kids don’t give a sh*t anymore about a pair of hop-along boots and a pistol that shoots or dolls that will talk and then go for a walk! Get with it!